Six panelists discussed and shared their belief systems before the Murfreesboro community today. / Photo by Emily West.

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Emily West

Editor-in-chief

Curious Murfreesboro residents and university students visited the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro to hear the perspective of Islamic, Christian and Jewish scholars.

The discussion included six members — five men and one woman — on a panel in the Center’s prayer room. The scholars explained how they decided which religion to follow and why.

The panelists came from across the mid-state and the nation, with each given 20 minutes to enlighten the audience about his or her religious background. Discussions revolved around the texts of the Quran, the Bible and the Torah.

“We have to recognize that even with the Quran that some of the methodology and metaphors are misunderstood,” said Jamal Badawi, founder of the Islamic Information Foundation. “We also have to think that the Quran is still available in the language it was revealed, which behooves some scholars.”

As both Badawi and Bahloul described Islam, those who practice it believe the prophet Muhammad scribed the scriptures during the course of 23 years and that God meant for his teachings to be simple. They also believe that their God is the same as those who follow the practices of Christianity and Judaism.

To counter both their perspectives, the Catholic and Protestant scholars said they believed in the Trinity and discussed how Christianity does not have a text in the original translation.

“We have never tried to preserve the exact words of Jesus,” said John Oliver, pastor of St. Elizabeth Orthodox Christian Church in Murfreesboro. “This means there has to be critical scholarship and that we have to read the earliest texts. We may not all necessarily have concern for the official linage, but we do have confidence.”

Much of the audience had questions for the Islam and Jewish scholars, specifically how each labeled Jesus Christ and how he was incorporated into their religious practices.

Jewish Rabbi Rami Shapiro fielded the bulk of the audience’s inquiries, knowing that that the Jewish faith could be more complicated than Islamic or Christian belief systems.

“You lose 90 percent of the original text if you can’t read Hebrew,” he said. “All translation is political, even if everyone in the community doesn’t choose to believe that.”

Shaprio continued to explain that the Jesus Christ might not be the only messiah, and that some members of the Jewish community weren’t waiting on his return.

Adam Gadomski, a senior philosophy major, had many questions before the panel. As an Anglican Christian, Gadomski was interested in how others believed.

“I love hearing what other people believe,” Gadomski said. “I believe in the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. I also believe in the person of Jesus Christ, and the early church and continuing the beliefs that they have.”

Several members of the community stuck around once the panel concluded as the last bits of sunlight crept through the windows in the Islamic center prayer room.

“May God bless us all in objectivity,” Bahloul said before he and others of the Islamic faith kneeled down to pray.